Lack of Childcare is Hurting Japanese Push to Put More Women to Work "Waiting lists for daycare in Japan grew for the first time in five years, complicating Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s drive to offset a shrinking population by getting more women into the labor force." Bloomberg, 30 Sep 2015.
Day care crisis stuck in vicious cycle This article describes the difficulties some women have experienced in finding day care as their maternity leave ends and at the day care system. Japan Times, 17 Apr 2016.
Current concerns: Available places in Tokyo wards’ childcare facilities continue to be oversubscribed due to burgeoning demand This webpage discusses the shortage of childcare places in Setagaya Ward where demand is double the number of places available. Education in Japan Community Blog, 29 Apr 2016.
Municipalities face local opposition in battle to build day care centers "A growing number of municipalities have been forced to delay or abandon plans for new day care centers across Japan because of fierce opposition from local residents, despite long waiting lists for such facilities." Japan Times, 25 Apr 2016.
250,000 Japanese engaged in ‘double care’ of children, adult family members: survey An estimated 253,000 people are currently shouldering the double burden of raising children while also caring for sick or elderly family members, a recent survey by the Cabinet Office has found. Japan Times, 16 Mar 2016.
Editorial: Angry blog post puts focus on Japan's severe day care shortage An anonymous blog post declaring, "My child wasn't accepted at daycare. Die, Japan!!!" has promoted the government to work out emergency measures to address the long waiting lists for child care spaces in many places across Japan. The Mainichi, 12 Mar 2016.
Abe pledges further efforts to address shortage of nursery schools Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged Friday to redouble efforts in enhancing child care services after an anonymous blog complaining about the chronic shortage of nursery schools drew nationwide attention. Japan Today, 12 Mar 2016.
Senior workers increasingly taking special leave to look after grandchildren "Amid an increase in two-income households in Japan, the rate of men who take paternity leave is extremely low, and the availability of day care services remains insufficient. So who looks is looking after the children? The answer is often grandparents." Dec 21, 2015.Japan’s Prime Minister Pledges to Fix Country’s Daycare Problem An anonymous angry blog post spurred the action. Time, 14 Mar, 2016
New Trends in Preschool Education and Childcare in Japan: Transition to a Comprehensive Support System for Children and Child-rearing” This article explains the Comprehensive Support System and the three laws it is based on, which was introduced in 2015. National Institute for Educational Research, No date. See also this information booklet on the Comprehensive Support System for Children and Child-rearing in English and Japanese from the Cabintet Office Japan.
Policy Implementation Studies: The Case of Eliminating Day-care Waiting Lists in Japan by Yuiko Imamura. WINPEC Working Paper Series No.E 1501, May 2015.